Variabilidad en patrones de coloración y ornamentación larval de Chloridea virescens (Fabricius) en diferentes plantas hospedantes

In the laboratory (T = 24,02 ± 0,24°C; HR=82,52 ± 0,72%) and with different feeding, the cuticle color and ornamentation were determined in the last instar of Chloridea virescens Fab., from a cohort of 60 F 1 . Leaves of tobacco were used (main host), pigeon pea pods and rose petals (alternative hosts) were used for feeding. Duration of the larval phase and development, the sexual relationship, and the total natural mortality were taken into account. The results showed that C. virescens in tobacco had a wide phenotypic variability. Six coloration and ornamentation patterns, with a higher frequency of the yellowish coloration, were described on this host. The sister larvae feeding on rose and pigeon pea were grayish with a similar ornamentation; however, as a possible effect of the change of food, the mortality reported on these two host plants was higher than 50 %. Nevertheless, the larvae completed the development cycle on the three hosts and showed a high morphological variability on tobacco; it was also confirmed that the population agreed with C. virescens .